Sharks win final meet of the season

Say goodbye to home pool

Submitted by Leann Mikesh

The Lake Monticello Swim Team (LMST), also known as the Sharks, raced its last meet of the season July 18 against Glenmore Country Club (GCC) and closed the season with a win. The final score was 536-438.

It was a heartfelt night filled with celebration and memories. After 25 years, the Sharks said goodbye to their home pool, in which they have held every practice and home meet. The pool opened in 1976 and has been open for 42 years. The Sharks will be getting a new pool for the 2019 swim season.

At this final meet, LMST honored the memory of three LMST alumni, Hunter Campbell (swimmer and cousin of current swimmer Ella Phillips), Eugene Milburn (father of three former swimmers: Ian, Morgan, and Logan Milburn), and Timo Husted Wright (swimmer who LMST honors annually through the Timo Husted Wright Sportsmanship Award).

Also during the meet, LMST said goodbye to two seniors: Zoe Moore, 18, and Nicholas Gardella, 18. Zoe graduated from Fluvanna County High School and was recruited to swim for Bridgewater College. She plans to study physical therapy. Nicholas graduated from Albemarle High School and is going to Virginia Tech to study engineering.

At the start of the meet, Coach Carly Csapo lead the entire LMST team, ages 5-18, together for the last time this season, in their team cheer, “We are the Sharks” and the chant, “Chomp.”

LMST started the meet out strong with the 100-meter individual medley relay. Emily Farist, 12, won first and Abbie Ford, 12, won second in the girls’ age 11-12 event with both swimmers improving their time. In the boys’ age 13-14 event, Tyler Harris, 14, took home second place and Jacob Ondek, 14, took home third place.

The next event was freestyle, in which Lila Kate Robinson, 8, swam the girls’ 8 and under 25-meter event in 18.44 seconds. It has been many years since anyone has gone faster than 19 seconds in this event. In the 50-meter girls’ age 11-12 freestyle, Emily Farist, 12, took first while Brenna Rea, 12, took third place.

There was a lot of competition from GCC in breaststroke; however, the Sharks placed in the top three in several events. In the girls’ age 11-12 50-meter breaststroke, Julia Tomaras, 12, took first place while Anna Amato, 11, took third place with a time of 48.56 seconds, finishing just 0.46 behind the second place spot. In the girls’ age 15-18 50-meter breaststroke, Abigale Harlow, 15, took first with a time of 35.88 seconds and Oliva Strickland, 17, placed second with a time of 41.25 seconds. In the boys’ age 9-10 50-meter event, Ivan Patchett, 10, took second with a time of 52.88 seconds.
In the backstroke event, many of LMST’s younger swimmers were able to place in the top three. Mateo Achmad-Guzman, 6, placed first, finishing in 30.16 seconds, while Levi Rochester, 6, placed third with a time of 37.09 in the 6 and under boys’ 25-meter event. In the girls’ 6 and under 25-meter event, Madelyn Ford, 5, took third place with a time of 41.39. Lila Kate Robinson took second place in the girls’ 8 and under 25-meter event with a time of 24.44. This is a 3.4 second time improvement from her best time. LMST swept the girls’ age 11-12 50-meter backstroke with Julia Tomaras taking home first, Abbie Ford placing second, and Emily Farist in third.

Landon Kovarik, 8, took second place with a time of 27.15 and Gavin McAdams, 8, took third place with a time of 28.41 in the boys’ 8 and under 25-meter butterfly. Times for both swimmers were improvements in this event. Abigayle Harlow won the girls’ age 15-18 50-meter butterfly event with a time of 31.56, out-swimming GCC by almost eight seconds. Jordon Franco, 16, placed third in this event.

In the most exciting race of the night, LMST just barely edged out GCC in the boys’ age 13-14 200-meter freestyle relay by only 0.35 of a second for first place. There was not one person at the meet who was not cheering on their team. First place in this event went to the team of Tyler Harris, Joseph O’Connor, 14, Jacob Ondek, and Austin Fairbanks, 14. Senior Zoe Moore swam her last meet as a Shark with a single race competing in the girls’ age 15-18 200-meter freestyle relay. Zoe and teammates Olivia Strickland, 17, Jordan Franco, and Abigayle Harlow took first place with a time of 2:05.50.

Overall, the Sharks took home 32 first places, 34 second places, and 42 third places from the meet.

The swimmers of the week for this week’s meet were Austin Fairbanks and Lila Kate Robinson. Both swimmers contributed to the team’s successful win in many ways. Austin had a great night with some best times and he helped his relay team take home first place in the boys’ age 13-14 200-meter freestyle relay by barely out touching their opponent as their anchor. Lila Kate got two best times and was the team’s first 8 and under girl to go faster than 19 seconds in the 25-meter freestyle in many years.

Coach Carly wrapped up the season by saying, “I am so proud of our swimmers’ accomplishments all summer long. This is overall one of the strongest and biggest teams we have ever had and the coaches and I are expecting for our success to continue to grow. The next week will be full speed ahead with focus on speed, spirit, and sportsmanship. It is always an honor to coach our Sharks to success.”

The Sharks are currently preparing for the Jefferson Swim League Championships that will take place at the University of Virginia Aquatic and Fitness Center July 27-28, which will determine the division in which they will be placed for the 2019 swim season.